Pad Thai Recipe

Craving Thai food? Don’t reach for delivery—make Pad Thai at home. This iconic street food dish is a flavor-packed stir-fry that hits all the notes: sweet, salty, tangy, and just a little spicy.

At its core, Pad Thai is made with rice noodles stir-fried with eggs, tofu or shrimp, bean sprouts, and a magical sauce of tamarind, fish sauce, and palm sugar. It’s bold, balanced, and super satisfying. The best part? You can pull it off in under 30 minutes.

Whether you’re a tofu lover or a shrimp fanatic, Pad Thai is endlessly customizable. The key is all in the prep and the sauce—once you have those, you’ll be frying like a Bangkok street vendor in no time.

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Ingredients (serves 2–3):

For the sauce:

• Tamarind paste – 2 tbsp

• Fish sauce – 2 tbsp

• Brown sugar (or palm sugar) – 1 1/2 tbsp

• Lime juice – 1 tbsp

• Water – 2 tbsp

• Chili flakes – 1/2 tsp (adjust to taste)

For the noodles & stir-fry:

• Flat rice noodles – 150g (about 5 oz), soaked in warm water until pliable

• Shrimp (or chicken/tofu) – 200g (about 7 oz), peeled and deveined

• Eggs – 2

• Firm tofu – 100g, cubed (optional)

• Garlic – 2 cloves, minced

• Bean sprouts – 1 cup

• Scallions – 2, sliced

• Roasted peanuts – 1/4 cup, crushed

• Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp

• Lime wedges – for serving

• Optional: pickled radish or dried shrimp for extra umami

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Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Prep the sauce (2 minutes):
In a small bowl, mix tamarind paste, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, water, and chili flakes. Stir until sugar dissolves and set aside.

2. Soak the noodles (15–20 minutes):
Place rice noodles in warm water and soak until pliable but not mushy. Drain and set aside. Don’t boil them unless the package says to.

3. Stir-fry the protein (3–5 minutes):
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high. Cook shrimp or chicken until just cooked through. Remove and set aside. If using tofu, pan-fry until golden and set aside as well.

4. Cook the eggs and aromatics (2 minutes):
Add another splash of oil, then sauté garlic briefly. Crack in eggs and scramble until just set.

5. Combine and toss (5 minutes):
Add drained noodles to the pan. Pour in the sauce and toss quickly. Add back the cooked shrimp/tofu, bean sprouts, and scallions. Stir-fry everything together for another 1–2 minutes until noodles are coated and glossy.

6. Plate and finish:
Serve hot, topped with crushed peanuts, extra scallions, and lime wedges. Add more chili flakes or a squeeze of lime to adjust flavor at the table.

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Pro Tip:

Don’t overcook the noodles. They’ll keep cooking in the pan. Use high heat and move quickly to keep things crisp and saucy. If you like your Pad Thai sweeter, bump up the sugar. Want it tangier? Add more lime or tamarind.

Bonus move: Prep everything before you start stir-frying. Pad Thai cooks fast—once you’re in the wok, there’s no time to chop!